Uhuru to address joint inaugural House session on Tuesday

President Uhuru Kenyatta will on Tuesday afternoon inaugurate the 12th Parliament, paving way for the bi-cameral House to officially start transacting business.

In a special Kenya Gazette notice issued on Friday, President Kenyatta appointed Tuesday, September 12, 2017 as the date the new House will convene to commence business.

“Whenever a new House is elected, the President, by notice in the Gazette, shall appoint the place and date for the first sitting of the new House, which shall be not more than thirty days after the election,” Article 126(2) states.

MPs were elected on August 8 General Election and took their oath of office on August 31, 2017.

The 349 members of the National Assembly and the 67 Senators then elected their respective Speakers.

Top on MPs and Executive agenda will be the approval of a supplementary budget for the conduct of a repeat presidential election that the Supreme Court ordered after annulling the win of President Kenyatta.

The House is expected to move quickly to constitute the various committees in order to prepare for any eventuality that may arise in the preparations for the conduct repeat poll.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has set October 17 as the date for the repeat election.

The IEBC has sent a budget of between Sh8 billion and Sh13 billion to the Treasury for the conduct of the poll.

The MPs will have to quickly approve members appointed to sit in the various committees so that they get down to business.

In the Senate, the lawmakers will confirm the nomination of Tharaka Nithi senator Kithure Kindiki as the deputy speaker.

The Constitution mandates the President to address the opening of each newly elected Parliament.

“The President shall address the opening of each newly elected Parliament,” Article 132 of the Constitution states.